Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2025-10-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-10-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. All calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Demand for calves was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Most offerings were in small packages this week with many singles noted. Many blemished cattle continue to be seen as producers took advantage of record high feeder cattle prices. Market activity was active despite a light offering. Weigh up cows sold on mostly very good demand for moderate offerings. The majority of the offering was composed of weigh up cows and bulls. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive with many reputation ranches selling cows post weaning. Slaughter cows were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold with higher undertones as additional buyers purchased this class of cows this week. Very few offerings were purchased for slaughter again this week as feeding cow buyers and replacement buyers absorbed most of the offerings. Only extremely blemished cows, not suitable to feed, were purchased for immediate harvest this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady to 1.00 higher. Quality was a similar to last week. Weigh conditions were mostly average this week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Demand for feeding bulls remains good, however quality limited demand as most offerings were not suitable to feed. Feeding bulls sold steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher with some set outselling open feeding heifers this sale. Demand for these offerings was very good with a large buyer pool bidding on offerings. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Demand and prices were similar for both coming 3 and coming 4 year old cows.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $402.00/cwt on 15 head. That ranks 7 of 19 comparable sales and sits −19.54 against this barn's trailing median of $421.54.

Average price

$402.00

15 head · 528 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,121

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$270

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$36.82/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−27.91

vs MT average

+17.61 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	533	411.82	2,194	11thin
Large 1	513	375.00	1,924	4thin

One grade step is worth $36.82/cwt here — about $270 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $350.88, median $421.54 across 19 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale15 hd

402.00

—

MT average4 barns · 419 hd

429.91

−27.91

National average182 barns · 15,418 hd

384.39

+17.61

This barn, trailing median19 sales

421.54

−19.54

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,784	187.51	3,345	54
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,602	174.33	2,793	34
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,394	167.71	2,338	306
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,178	152.11	1,792	187
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,107	113.00	1,251	3thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,180	$3,575	5
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,141	$3,268	7
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,313	$3,000	2thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,300	$2,950	1thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,170	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,361	$2,827	8

Every lot, as filed

92 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	868	314.09/cwt	312.50–318.00	2,726	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,000	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	3,200	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	750–800	772	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,876	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	767	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,761	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	525	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,468	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	665	414.73/cwt	409.00–417.50	2,758	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	551	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,232	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	377	513.81/cwt	510.00–515.00	1,937	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	570	438.98/cwt	429.00–441.00	2,502	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	925	324.50/cwt	324.50–324.50	3,002	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	487	457.50/cwt	457.50–457.50	2,228	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	631	385.11/cwt	377.50–394.50	2,430	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	370	585.00/cwt	585.00–585.00	2,165	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	322	638.47/cwt	635.00–645.00	2,056	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	436	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,049	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	862	343.26/cwt	336.00–344.00	2,959	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	816	343.13/cwt	341.00–350.00	2,800	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	245	750.00/cwt	750.00–750.00	1,838	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	348	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	1,844	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	408	555.00/cwt	555.00–555.00	2,264	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	968	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	3,311	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	285	705.00/cwt	705.00–705.00	2,009	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	980	308.24/cwt	307.50–309.00	3,021	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	511	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,146	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	483	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,415	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	469	502.59/cwt	485.00–530.00	2,357	24
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,141	3,268.27/head	3,150.00–3,300.00	3,268	7
Bulls	Large 1-2	1250–1300	1,267	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,851	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	997	292.10/cwt	239.00–340.00	2,912	38
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,238	179.51/cwt	175.00–181.00	2,222	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,170	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,030	310.53/cwt	306.00–312.00	3,198	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	850–900	884	352.00/cwt	352.00–352.00	3,112	17
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,384	2,888.31/head	2,825.00–2,900.00	2,888	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,222	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	2,016	19
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,238	215.06/cwt	179.00–236.00	2,662	27
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,180	3,575.00/head	3,575.00–3,575.00	3,575	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	969	314.60/cwt	312.50–315.50	3,048	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	750–800	761	376.00/cwt	376.00–376.00	2,861	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,000	179.30/cwt	176.00–182.50	1,793	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,080	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,376	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	102.50/cwt	102.50–102.50	1,020	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	970	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,067	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,164	128.05/cwt	120.00–133.00	1,491	55
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,116	141.84/cwt	136.00–145.00	1,583	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,147	142.99/cwt	131.00–155.00	1,640	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,239	176.11/cwt	174.50–186.00	2,182	48
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,526	179.59/cwt	174.00–188.00	2,741	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,510	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,582	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,492	156.82/cwt	142.50–163.00	2,340	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,360	143.97/cwt	141.00–147.50	1,958	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,670	166.62/cwt	164.50–170.00	2,783	9
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,655	180.96/cwt	171.00–185.00	2,995	13
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,686	193.74/cwt	188.00–198.50	3,266	4
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,260	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	2,016	1
Bulls	—	—	1,731	172.15/cwt	162.00–185.00	2,980	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	176.43/cwt	175.00–179.00	2,466	74
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,820	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	2,857	1
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,107	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	1,251	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,694	172.34/cwt	172.00–172.50	2,919	6
Bulls	—	—	1,833	194.28/cwt	188.00–199.00	3,561	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,181	169.08/cwt	159.00–174.00	1,997	39
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	790	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,146	1
Bulls	—	—	2,054	204.02/cwt	202.00–205.00	4,191	5
Bulls	—	—	2,480	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	4,687	1
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1200–1250	1,228	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	3,168	3
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	985	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,660	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,392	170.19/cwt	162.00–174.50	2,369	184
Cows	Boner 80-85%Light Weight	—	958	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,332	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,384	133.90/cwt	126.00–139.00	1,853	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	260	660.00/cwt	660.00–660.00	1,716	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	527	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,424	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	644	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,399	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	488	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,294	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	881	266.23/cwt	220.00–312.50	2,345	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,200	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,300	2,950.00/head	2,950.00–2,950.00	2,950	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,103	257.23/cwt	168.00–327.50	2,837	61
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	402	501.00/cwt	501.00–501.00	2,014	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	488	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,098	7
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	700–750	702	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,264	5
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,170	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	2,954	1
Heifers	Medium 1-2	600–650	635	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,223	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,313	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,243	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	3,257	3
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,087	295.50/cwt	294.00–298.00	3,212	8
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,210	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	2,995	3
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,140	267.50/cwt	267.50–267.50	3,050	1
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,065	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	3,142	1
Heifers	Large 1Full	1050–1100	1,096	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	3,124	10
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	513	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,924	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Non-Traditional	—	1,530	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	2,938	1

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →